Sinowal.WQF

It allows to get into the affected computer.
It searches for and steals passwords saved for certain Windows services.
It uses stealth techniques to avoid being detected by the user.
It spreads
, across the Internet, via email, through P2P programs, via mapped drives, through shared network resources.

Affected platforms:

Windows 2003/XP/2000/NT/ME/98/95

First detected on:

Nov. 3, 2009

Detection updated on:

Nov. 3, 2009

Statistics

No

Brief Description

Sinowal.WQF is a Trojan, which although seemingly inoffensive, can actually carry out attacks and intrusions.

It captures certain information entered or saved by the user, with the corresponding threat to privacy:
passwords saved by certain Windows services.

It uses stealth techniques to avoid being detected by the user:

It uses techniques included in its code to hide itself while it is active.

It deletes the original file from which it was run once it is installed on the computer.

Sinowal.WQF uses the following propagation or distribution methods:

Exploiting vulnerabilities with the intervention of the user: exploiting vulnerabilities in file formats or applications. To exploit them successfully it needs the intervention of the user: opening files, viewing malicious web pages, reading emails, etc.

Via Internet, exploiting remote vulnerabilities: attacking random IP addresses, in which it tries to insert a copy of itself by exploiting one or more vulnerabilities.

Email: sending emails that include a copy of itself as an attachment. The computer is infected when the attachment is run.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing programs: it makes copies of itself with enticing names in shared folders belonging to these programs. Other users of this type of networks then voluntarily download and run the infected files.